System Shock
by EnmaFire
Summary: Audrey's time working at Mr. Litwak's arcade has been great. It's funny how everything can change with one little electric shock. Now she's trapped and desperate for a way out, but with Ralph around she may not want to go back home. Will their budding friendship turn into more? And what about the way her reflection glitches to someone else's face? Read to find out! Plz R&R,& Enjoy!
1. Prologue

Mr. Litwak's arcade had always been a long-standing icon in his small town. It was a place for children and adults alike to let go of the troublesome world outside the glass double-doors in favor of virtual one, a world where with a pocket stuffed with quarters, they could escape for an hour or so and just be free. For over thirty years the bright lights and neon signs of this small-town getaway shone like a beacon, guiding the way for both the old and young of heart, leading them to a simpler place where the most one had to worry about was if the arcade's kindhearted owner would run out of quarters today. When Mr. Litwak opened his arcade doors to allow his awaiting customers inside, he became a symbol of sanctuary for wandering and troubled souls, a knight in shining armor ready to lend an ear for listening, or a shoulder to cry on, or even just an extra quarter so you could play that one game you had been looking foreword to all day.

But, as strong and everlasting a symbol Mr. Litwak may have appeared to be, he could not forever fight against time. His hair had begun to turn gray and then white until finally it had started to disappear completely. His wrinkled hands had begun to shake as he handed out change and his old bones could no longer last through a day of playing sentry. And so appeared in the window of Litwak's Arcade something no one had ever thought to see: a Help Wanted sign.

Interviews came and went as applicant after applicant was turned down by the arcade's owner. Mr. Litwak had watched many of those turned away grow up in his arcade, but no matter how close he had been to them in their youth, people changed over time. Though Mt. Litwak had watched Michael Kingston transition from boyhood into his teenage years, he also knew that he stole his father's cigarettes and booze, and Mr. Litwak just could not trust him to keep his pockets empty, nor his head clear. Little Suzie Meyer was known to be horrible with kids, if one were to believe the children she had babysat, and her brother Kevin was hardly passing school as it was, heaven forbid if he were to add work on top of everything else. Jonathan Walker was out, and Casey Hudson, and Jessica Stewart, and Daniela Jones, and just about every other kid in town. For a while it seemed as if Mr. Litwak would never find an employee, and the Help Wanted sign continued to become sun bleached in its spot in the window, slowly gathering dust as a week, and then two weeks, and then finally a month had passed with no luck whatsoever until the day a new name appeared in the dwindling pile of résumés on Mr. Litwak's desk.

Mr. Litwak had never heard of the girl whose smiling face shone up at him from the attached headshot, but a couple of calls to her previous employers offered a bit of insight. She was a college graduate apparently looking for a job to hold down while she worked on a portfolio that might help her secure a future in game design. Though she had not personally lived in the town, she apparently had extended family living there, and a short conversation with them as well as her college professors and previous employers via email led Mr. Litwak to believe that she was hard working, trustworthy, and most definitely the right girl for the job.

And so the Help Wanted sign was finally allowed to retire from its resting place in the window and a few days later Mr. Litwak's customers were greeted at the door by a new face, one that over time Mr. Litwak hoped they would grow to love and trust as much as the town did him.

"Audrey!"

"Coming Mr. Litwak!"

"Well hurry, it's almost time to open!"

"Hold your horses old man, I said I'm coming!"

With a laugh, Audrey slipped on her uniform orange vest and jogged over to where Mr. Litwak stood impatiently in front of the arcade's doors. The elderly man threw his hands up in mock exasperation, eyes smiling kindly through the action.

"It's not my fault you're slower than molasses today," he chuckled, wagging a finger at the younger girl good naturedly.

Audrey smiled, pulling back her flaming red hair back into a messy bun as she did so. "So sorry to have kept you waiting, my king," she answered jokingly, giving her employer a small bow.

"Did you remember to stock the concessions," asked Mr. Litwak, eyeing the girl in front of him.

Audrey rolled her pale blue eyes in response. "Yes, Mr. Litwak," she droned.

"Did you check the bathrooms?"

Another eye roll. "Yes, Mr. Litwak."

"And the change machines?"

Audrey sighed heavily before placing a comforting hand on the hold man's shoulder. "Mr. Litwak," she said, looking him in the eyes. "How long have I been working here?"

He thought for a moment before replying, "Almost a year."

Audrey nodded absentmindedly. "That's right. And out of all that time, has anything ever gone wrong during opening?"

The arcade owner cast a sheepish glance to the floor. "No," he mumbled, feeling childish for his worries.

"Then stop worrying," cried the girl, removing her hand from its place on his shoulder. "Everything will be fine," she said. "Just like it is everyday. I promise."

With a kind smile, Audrey raised one of her hands to Mr. Litwak, who in turn hooked his fingers around hers in the standard thumb-war pose. But instead of battling with their digits, the two pumped their hands downwards once with the practice ease that often came with not-so-secret handshakes.

Laughing, the girl removed her hand from his and turned towards the arcade's front doors, smiling kindly at the few people standing on the other side, waiting for the moment the doors would open.

"Come on, old man," said Audrey, smile still stuck to her face, showing off the dimples on either side of her mouth. "Let's get these doors open before they start a riot."

With a chuckle, Mr. Litwak unlocked the glass doors and pulled one open, letting in the cool outside air. Audrey took the other door, mirroring his actions as they let in the day's first customers. Holding the door open, the two greeted the people as they entered. Mr. Litwak cracked jokes as always and Audrey's warm smile left a few of the teenage boys blushing as they hurried inside. The day had barely begun, but Audrey's enthusiasm was as palpable as ever. Working at the arcade had its downsides, sure, but she really had no complaints.

No, that was wrong.

If Audrey Wilson was perfectly honest with herself, working at a local arcade was not where she had imagined herself being at age 28. In her dreams she had always figured she would be part of a successful company by now. She would have a good, steady job designing and working on new video games, maybe even engaged, or at least in a serious relationship. Her life was supposed to be at its high point right now, a plateau of contentment that would last well into her 50s and 60s.

Instead, she was working full time at an arcade in some little no name town full of people she barely knew, even after living there for almost a year.

Not that Audrey was unhappy, per say. Mr. Litwak was like family to her, and with her mother dead and her dad off with his horrible new second wife, he was all she really had besides a distant pair of cousins living in town. Her pay was good and her apartment could definitely be worse, and she very rarely had to struggle to make ends meet. She was doing a couple of side jobs with interested parties, sending digital art here, mailing originals there, and earning some extra cash on the side. Her portfolio was coming along nicely and her skills increasing every day. She was starting to flesh out some of her characters and concepts and maybe in a year or so she might be able to try approaching a bigger company than those she used to work with.

But as cliché as it seemed, Audrey kept wondering if maybe there was something more to her life than what it was now.


	2. Chapter 1

With a heavy sigh, Audrey cast another longing glance at the clock. She normally loved going to work, but today was just one of those days. One of the kids had spilt a soda in the bathroom, and cleaning up that sticky mess had not been on her to-do list for the day. Grimacing, the red head arched her back, feeling it give a satisfying crack as she did, and finally exited the now-clean bathroom, taking down the "Out of Service" sign and replacing it with a faded old "Caution: Wet Floor" one instead.

Shoulders slumped, the tired girl made her way back to the concessions stand Mr. Litwak had recently added to draw in more customers and cash. There, waiting at the counter, was the little boy that had spilled the drink to begin with. He looked up at her with guilty eyes, hands fidgeting in front of him as he titled his head up to see her face, her tall stature easily towering over him.

"Miss Audrey," he called, visibly swallowing the nervous lump in his throat. Audrey was known amongst little Timothy's fellow fourth graders as one of the sweetest girls in town, not that he liked girls or anything (besides his mom, but she wasn't really a _girl_, was she?), and even if he did like girls, which he most certainly did not, it would be okay to like Audrey because she worked at an arcade and only cool people worked at arcades, and standing in front of the screens probably vaporized her cooties and everything so-

Timothy's nervous gaze caught Audrey's, her vibrant green eyes piercing through him like she could read his very thoughts. Swallowing again, the young boy tired his best to reconnect his thoughts.

"I'm real sorry for spilling that soda," he told her, his baby blues glued to his scuffed up sneakers.

Audrey wanted to be angry with him, but even on her worst days she could never yell at one of the arcade's customers. They were just like her, their passion for all things video game drew them here like a moth to a flame. With a defeated sigh, she placed a pale hand on Timothy's head, ruffling his dark hair.

"Look, it's fine, no harm done," she assured him, crouching down to meet his timid eyes. "How about you leave the soda up here on the counter with me next time, okay? I'll even let you write your name on the cup so no one can take it."

The guilt and sadness in Timothy's eyes vanished almost immediately, and he gave Audrey a hug and a cry of 'Thank you!' before running back off into the carpeted jungle of the arcade.

Audrey stood back up, watching as Timothy vanished behind the _Sugar Rush_ consoles. Her eyes drifted from game screen to game screen as she absentmindedly began to wipe down the already spotless counter. The bright lights of the games reflected back onto the faces of gamers, emphasizing their joy with blinding flashes. If there was one thing Audrey loved about the arcade, it was the variety. Mr. Litwak had every type of game, from 8-bit classics like _Pac-Man _and _Fix-It Felix, Jr._, to old school fighting games like _Street fighter_. In the corner an over enthusiastic duo of teenage girls were competing in a furious match of _Dance Dance Revolution_, and next to them a young boy was merrily tapping away on _Guitar Hero_. Yells and cheers came from across the arcade as two kids made their way into the final stages of _Hero's Duty_ and a small line had formed for _Q*bert_ and _Frogger_.

A nostalgic smile wormed its way on to Audrey's freckled face, her dimples forming little dips on either side of her pale pink lips. No matter how long her day might seem, it was worth it to keep the role of video games alive in peoples' hearts. Being a die-hard gamer herself, it made her happy to see others enjoying the characters and stories she loved. Her green eyes caught those of Mr. Litwak as he too watched the arcade's occupants. The older man gave her a wave, and Audrey sent one back with a laugh. As old as Mr. Litwak was on the outside, in his heart he would always remain a little kid.

The day dragged on, customers came and went, and after what felt like a lifetime, closing time finally made its way round. With a content sigh, Audrey let the bright orange vest slip from her shoulders as the last gamer of the night made his way out the front doors. The tired girl made her way into the back room, which was really just an old storage room that was big enough for Audrey to use for breaks. A lonely old plush chair sat in one corner, next to which sat an old set of lockers. Audrey could never figure out where exactly Mr. Litwak had found them, or the long counter lining one of the walls, but they served their purpose well. Grabbing her change of clothes from one of the lockers, she made her way over to the counter, watching her reflection in the mirror that hung over it (complete with a border of light bulbs, a feature that never failed to make her smile). Audrey changed quickly, putting the t-shirt and jeans she had been wearing earlier into her bag to be washed later. She pulled her hair lose of its bun in a shower of red and quickly braided it to lie over her left shoulder. Giving herself a once over, Audrey decided that she looked well enough before exiting.

Mr. Litwak was counting the cash in the concession stand's register when she walked out. When he turned his head to speak to her, Audrey swore he almost dropped the stack of singles in his hand.

Audrey stuck her arms out to the sides with a nervous grin, doing a little twirl.

"How do I look," she asked him, worrying her bottom lip.

Mr. Litwak blinked at her, taking in her outfit. In the almost-year that he had known Audrey, not once had she ever worn a _skirt_. But here she was, dressed up and with- was that _makeup_? The older man's brain stopped for a moment as he took in his young employee's outfit. A sheer, long sleeved button up shirt hung loosely off her thin frame, the tiny green polka dots contrasting the rest of the garment's navy color. A high classic collar sat snug around her pale neck and Mr. Litwak could very obviously see the lacy undergarment (or bra, as any one else would call it) she wore underneath. Starting high on her waist was a mint skirt that stopped an inch or so above her knees, the fullness and style of it bringing him back to the 1950s. Around the top of the skirt was a thin yellow belt that was surely more for decoration than functionality, and her feet were clad in Oxford-style white and mint flats.

Mr. Litwak gave a low whistle, before cracking a smile.

"So," he drawled. "Who exactly is the lucky man?"

Immediately Audrey's face flushed a bright pink. "Oh no, Mr. Litwak," she stuttered out. "It's nothing like that! I just thought I might go dancing or something tonight. See, there's this new club that opened a couple towns over and all the girls have been going on and on about, so I figured I'd give it a shot."

Her green eyes looked at anything but her boss, nervous fingers pulling at the hem of her skirt.

With a warm laugh, Mr. Litwak placed both of his hands on the girl's shoulder. "You look gorgeous," he said, smiling brightly. "Hell, if I were a year or two younger..."

He let the sentence trail off and the two of them shared a laugh. Audrey knew the old man was far from being serious, but the compliment helped gain back some of the confidence she has lost. It had taken all of her courage to go out and buy these new clothes. Throughout the entire ordeal she constantly felt like some one was going to stop her, as if lonely gamer girls that worked in arcades were not allowed to have such stylish clothing.

Audrey opened her painted lips to thank her boss, but the man cut her off with a startled cry, staring at his watch in shock. In a flurry of movement, Mr. Litwak hurriedly tossed the arcade's keys on the counter and grabbed his coat from the rack beside the front door.

"Someone must have a hot date," joked Audrey, watching the elder man.

Mr. Litwak gave a small chuckle, picking the keys back up and handing them to the girl. "Not exactly," he told her, slipping into his coat. "More like an auction for a _Miss Pac-Man_ console in the next town over. I nearly forgot all about it, and if I don't head out now I might be too late to register! You don't mind locking up, do you Audrey?"

"No at all, Mr. Litwak," replied Audrey, following him over to the front doors. "I'm not in any kind of rush, but you better move quickly, it looks like there might be a storm coming."

Indeed, the sky above had turned an angry gray, heavy rainclouds rolling in overhead. The wind had picked up and Audrey could feel the electricity building in the air. Sure enough, a bolt of lightening cut through the sky in the distance, the loud rumbling of thunder, like an awakened lion, following shortly after. Mr. Litwak managed to hurry into his car just as the first fat drops fell to earth, waving goodbye to Audrey through his windshield wipers and pulling out of the parking lot. Audrey waved back, before heading back inside to lock up for the night.

The red headed woman stood in the center of the arcade, taking in the games around her. The screens cast a neon glow on to her skin, and in the quiet Audrey felt truly at peace, surrounded by the stories and characters that she had known all her life. Outside the sky opened up and let loose a torrent of heavy raindrops, thunder shattering through the pitter-patter against the roof, lightening illuminating the dark interior of the arcade with quick, blinding flashes.

With a glance out the window, Audrey decided her plans for the night could definitely wait, and the butterflies that had been dancing around in her stomach slowed down in agreement. It certainly would be dangerous to drive home in this weather, let alone to another town that she barely knew. As she headed back towards the back room to wait out the worse of the storm, she passed one of the many power strips giving life to the games, and noticed with a start that one of the wall plugs had started to spark.

Audrey kneeled down for a closer look as the storm outside managed to become even worse, rain coming down in heavy sheets, incredibly loud compared to the silence of the arcade. The plug had slipped out of the socket slightly, little flashes of blue electricity jumping from the wall to the plug.

Even as Audrey reached for the plug, a voice in the back of her mind whispered of danger. She should just get up and head back to wait out the rain, but the thought of a possible power surge compelled her to reach out. Her mind's eye briefly saw an image of the arcade up in flames, the aftermath of a horrible electrical fire.

Audrey's pale hand grasped the plug, and at the same moment a streak of lightening slashed through the sky, striking the weathervane atop the arcade. Electricity jolted from the socket into the woman's hand, racing up her arm, leaving a horrid tingling in its wake. Audrey's vision grayed along the edges before going black, and her body falling limply into nothingness. She was already unconscious by the time her head cracked against the floor.


	3. Chapter 2

Game Central Station was buzzing with activity, countless characters traveling from game to game in the after-hours hustle and bustle of the arcade's secret digital world. Among the sea of countless faces walked Zangief, the legendary Red Tornado from the beloved _Street Fighter _franchise. The powerful man sighed softly as the crowed parted slightly to make way for him, though he had to take pleasure in the fact that the arcade's 'good guys' no longer ran and hid at the sight of him. After the Cybug Incident, as many were calling it now, characters of the 'evil' persuasion we treated with less of a cold shoulder. However, they were not truly welcomed in to the ranks, and Zangief longed for the day he and his fellow villains would be welcomed with open arms.

The world outside was changing, Zangief knew this. Bad guys were becoming more and more popular with the gamers. In fact, the Russian man had heard more than a few girls on the other side of the screen fawning over him and some of the darker characters of his game. It made him proud, and put a little spring in his strong step as he made his way over to _Tappers_ to meet up with a few of the others. Things may not be the way he hoped and dreamed, but he was content enough with his current ways.

Zangief passed through the main plaza of the central hub, glancing briefly at the recorded warnings of Sonic and the benches placed around for characters to rest and chat. Heavy feet slowed as they passed one of the said benches, staring curiously into the shadows beneath it. Within the inky depths, Zangief could have sworn he saw someone, or something, huddled under the bench, but with plenty of the arcade's games now willing to shelter unplugged characters, he could think of no reason for a character to be forced to sleep in the middle of Game Central Station.

Stepping closer, the big man crouched down, peering in to the darkness to dismiss his ridiculous notion, only to be thoroughly surprised to find he had been correct. Curled up on the hard floor was a young woman, though the darkness made it difficult to tell who it might be. Whoever it was, Zangief simply couldn't let them stay there. His frequent trips to Bad Guy Anon had showed him that being programmed as bad did not mean he had to _act_ badly, something he wished everyone could see. Still, if this mysterious girl was new to the arcade, she might react badly to being awakened by a villain. Zangief started to get up to find a hero to help him out, preferably from him own game, or maybe the little Fix-it man, but the figure beneath the bench chose that moment to give a groan, limbs twitching and eyes starting to open.

Audrey felt consciousness begin to flow back in to her, eyelids fluttering open. For a moment there was only blinding light and loud noise, over powering her delicate senses. The world slowly came in to focus, and Audrey could feel the aching of her back and the pounding of her head. The floor beneath her felt cold, defiantly not like the old carpet of the arcade. Above her were little slots of light shining through what looked like wood, burning her sensitive eyes. Audrey turned her head to the side to shield them, but stopped before she could close them again. What she saw was definitely _not _the arcade.

Countless feet shuffled across the unfamiliar floor, seeming to walk up and down the walls as Audrey lay on her side. A million conversations buzzed through her skull, making the pounding increase horribly. Panic rose in her chest, heart speeding up and palms beginning to sweat. She remembered Mr. Litwak asking her to lock up, remembered the storm and reaching to fix the sparking plug, but that was where it ended. What had happened after? Had she gone out dancing despite the weather? Had she drunken too much? Or worse, had she been drugged? Was she knocked out and used, and then tossed aside under some bench in the middle of no where in a city she was far from familiar with, only to had to find her way back to-

"Miss?"

Audrey's racing thoughts froze at the call, listening to the heavily accented voice. Russian, her mind automatically supplied, unable to give anything truly useful at the moment.

"Would you like some help there, Miss?"

The voice again, male and thick. A large hand reached in to her field of vision, silently asking her to take it. Audrey did so shakily, feeling its calloused texture against her smooth skin. As she was pulled out in to the light, she noticed how it dwarfed her own hand, the tan skin standing in stark contrast to her own paleness. Audrey's large jade eyes traveled up the attached arm, swallowing at its thickness. There were several large scars marring the tanned skin, and a distant thought tickled the back of her mind, whispering to her that she had seen those scars before. Audrey shook the thoughts away, eyes continuing their journey upwards, startled to find the man to be shirtless, a dark patch of hair adorning the center of his chiseled chest. That nagging little voice came back, but she once again pushed it away in order to thank the man properly, finally raising her eyes to catch his gaze. But as Audrey took in the man's face, the words died on her tongue, morphing in to a high pitched scream that bubbled up painfully from her throat.

Audrey jumped back from the man before her, snatching back her hand as if she had been burnt. The backs of her knees hit the edge of the bench, sending her sprawling on to it. Her breathing sped up harshly as she pushed her self as far against the back to the bench as she could, trying to melt in to is as her legs curled up towards her body for protection.

Zangief gave a tired sigh at the woman's reaction, watching her fearful eyes dart around wildly. He definitely had not meant to frighten her, but such a terrified reaction seemed a bit hurtful, if not over the top. Predictably, most of Game Central Station had hushed at her scream, various characters stopping to stare at the scene that was forming. Zangief stepped back from the bench, holding his hands up to show what he meant no harm, but the woman continued to panic, mouth wide and chest heaving with her panicked breath. The large Russian looked around helplessly, desperate to find someone who would be less likely to frighten to poor girl further, when the woman in question seemed to begin to calm down a bit, her voice soft and shaking.

Audrey was sure she was going crazy as she watched the characters in front of her. With more effort than it should have taken, she lifted an arm in front of her, pointing a trembling finger towards the huge man before her. Her entire body was trembling, her spine digging painfully into the back of the bench. She opened and shut her mouth stupidly, thoughts racing but refusing to leave her tight throat. Audrey swallowed thickly, her mouth going dry as she forced the words out.

"You're Zangief," she whispered dumbly, unable to manage anything more intelligent.

The man- no, the _character_, looked at her blankly.

"Zangief," Audrey emphasized, "as in _Street Fighter_, as in the arcade game!"

Again, a blank look, but Audrey was too far gone by then to notice.

"That's impossible," she thought aloud, rambling softly to herself. "Zangief is a game character, he isn't real, he's made-up, a character. So I'm seeing game characters then, fantastic. I'm simply dreaming, though, I've got to be. I'll just wake up then, it shouldn't be that hard. What is it they always do in the films? They pinch themselves, yes, great, perfect."

Audrey sat up straighter on the bench, breathing beginning to slow as she slid her eyes shut and gave herself a sharp pinch on the arm, praying that when she opened them again she would be awake and not stuck in some drug-induced coma forever. With a shaking breath, she slowly opened her eyes, and almost reverted back into hysterics. Zangief (_Zangief!_) was still staring at her, dumb-founded, and she was still very much not at home.

"I'm dead, aren't I," Audrey whispered, slumping down once more, staring at her shaking hands in her lap. "I've gone and died and this is my own personal hell, or heaven really, all things considered, but still, I'm dead. I grabbed that plug and I got electrocuted and now I'm completely and utterly dead."

Zangief watched as the woman became more and more depressed. He could not being to imagine what game she was from, but it was painfully obvious the knowledge that she was, indeed, a game character was not written in her code. The large man coughed nervously, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"Perhaps you need to calm down," he told her, meeting her emerald gaze. "I think you may be a little confused about what exactly is going on, and I'm sure a drink could do you some good as well."  
That grabbed the woman's attention, her back straightening slightly and one brow rising toward her hairline.

Zangief stuck out one of his large hands, a peace offering of sorts. "I believe a trip to _Tapper_'s may be in order, if you'll accept. We'll get you some food and try to sort things out."

The woman bit her lip, eyes flitting from Zangief's face to the outstretched hand. "What the hell," she finally said, fitting her much smaller hand in to his, allowing him to help her up. "If I'm gonna be stuck here, might as well enjoy it."

Zangief held back a roll of his eyes, this new girl was obviously going to be a tough case to crack, but still, she seemed like pleasant company. It was very rare for the giant Russian to hold conversations with non-bad guys, and despite his tendency for skull crushing, he really did see himself as a nice guy. This woman was lost and afraid, and something told him that she was very different from the other characters he had met.

As Zangief led her over to _Tapper_'s, the woman spoke up once again. "I should probably introduce myself, I'm Audrey. Audrey Wilson."

Zangief shot her a smile. "A pleasure, Miss Wilson."


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Oh geeze is my face red right now! As some of you have noticed, amidst my excitement last week, I accidently uploaded chapter 3 in place of chapter 2! While the situation has been rectified, I would just like to apologize for any spoilers and confusion caused by my clumsiness. As my way of saying sorry, next week's update will be the longest chapter yet, with tons of Ralph and Audrey feels, with a healthy dose of Zangief on the side!

On a lighter note, I'd just really like to thank everyone who's gone out of their way to review/favorite/follow this story! You honestly have no idea how happy your support makes me, it really does make my week! I hope I can continue to impress you all, and I hope you have at least half as much fun reading this as I do writing it!

Love to you all!

_~ Sarah_

* * *

Zangief turned around for a moment, signaling to someone out of Audrey's sight. In the next moment, two full glasses slid down the long wooden counter, the Russian man putting out a hand to catch them. Audrey leaned forwards, peering down the counter to the large keg attached to the wall. Next to it stood a short man with a large mustache, polishing an empty glass with short, jerky movements. With a start, Audrey recognized the man as Tapper himself, and quickly refocused on the counter in front of her, eyes downcast and hands wrapped firmly around her own cold glass. The sweet smell of root beer reached her senses, making her nose wrinkle in mild disgust, but she took a sip anyways, if only to calm her frazzled nerves.

"So," she drawled, drawing a slender finger around the rim of her glass.

"So," shot back Zangief, raising a thick eyebrow.

Audrey glanced up at him quickly, but almost immediately looked back down in to her drink, watching the foam swirl on the surface.

"Audrey," came the accented voice, gentle for such an intimidating man. "There is no need to be so nervous. You are confused, it happens to everyone!" Zangief shot her a smile, trying his best to meet her eyes. "While I may be 'bad guy', I am not really _bad _guy. I just want to help you.

Audrey gave a smile back, though much smaller, finally meeting the large man's gaze. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm just...just so, _confused_." The young woman huffed in frustration, twirling the end of her braid between her fingers.

"Why don't you just start by telling me the last thing you remember," suggested Zangief, taking a sip of his own drink.

Slim shoulders rose and fell heavily as Audrey steeled her nerves. "I was locking up the arcade after closing. Mr. Litwak had left to head out to an auction, and it was raining. I decided to go in to the back room to wait out the storm before going out to this club a few towns over, when I noticed something." She stopped for a moment, brows furrowing over her large eyes. "The plug for one of the power strips was hanging slightly out of the socket, and it was sparking. I knew I should just leave it be, but something told me to fix it." She gave another frustrated sigh and took a sip of the sweet drink.

"I don't know, maybe I was afraid of an electrical fire or something," she continued. "In the back of my mind I knew it was a bad idea, but I reached for it anyways, almost like I couldn't help myself. There was a flash, and my arm felt tingly, but then it just all kind of faded away. I remember feeling like I was moving, like being dragged or pulled somewhere, but that was probably just my imagination. Next thing I knew I was, well, _here_."

Audrey's voiced had risen during her explanation, but now she was very quite, seeming to almost curl in on herself. Zangief thought she look extremely lost and very much confused. Something came over the man as he looked at the scared woman- _no, the scared little girl_- in front of him, and he came to the conclusion that he believed her every word. There was little other else he could believe, after all. No new games had come in, and the more he looked at her, the more familiar she became. The outfit was different, as well as the makeup, but those eyes were unmistakable. Zangief had seen those eyes peering in to his game countless times as she furiously worked the controls of the console, biting her lip in concentration and giving little shouts whenever she managed to deal out significant damage to her opponent. That child-like glee was absent from her green orbs now, replaced by frustration and fear.

Audrey stared at Zangief with growing nervousness. The man remained silent, his expression unreadable and his eyes staring off over her shoulder. She was not completely sure how she had expected the character to react, but the silence seemed to drag on indefinitely, adding to her already growing amounts of anxiety. She somehow managed to down all of her root beer, despite her usual disgust of the drink, and without a word Tapper had came and collected her glass, causing her to jump a little. The short man looked wordlessly between the two, round eyes lingering on Audrey for a moment before walking off. Audrey barely managed to catch the full glass that slid down the counter a second later and was relieved to see it was simply filled with water. She shot a thankful, albeit unsure, smile at Tapper, ignoring the continued stares of the other patrons.

Zangief was snapped back to the present by Audrey's small cough, blinking his large blue eyes. He met Audrey's worried and questioning gaze, and gave her a small reassuring smile. With one large hand he reached across the table and removed one of Audrey's smaller ones from her glass, clasping it in his own. "Alright," he stated, giving a singe, solid nod.

Audrey raised a delicate brow, looking from their clasped hands to the large man's bright face. "Alright," she repeated, her tone questioning.

"I believe you," said Zangief, continuing to smile. "I do not know how you got here, but you _are_ here, at least for the time being. But, Zangief has a feeling that if we can figure out how you got here, we can figure out how to send you _back_."

Audrey seemed to think for a moment, before slowly removed her hand from the large man's, standing up to come around to his side. "Alright," she told him with a small smile.

"Alright," Zangief returned, copying her earlier inquisitive tone.

"Sounds like a plan to me," sighed Audrey, extending her hand to him.

"A plan it is, then," replied Zangief, grasping her hand, pulling her in to him for a short, firm hug before letting go, "and I think I know _just _who to go to!"

Zangief dragged Audrey by the hand, weaving through the crowds of Game Central Station. For once, Zangief actually wanted the other characters to jump out of his way, if only to make the journey faster. Audrey jogged slightly behind him in order to keep the strong man from pulling her arm off; all the while silently praising her decision to forgo wearing heals. Her bright eyes took in the people around her, staring in amazement. If this whole ordeal really _was_ a dream, then she had to congratulate her mind on remembering the entire arcade's various characters in such stunning detail. She was so intensely focused on her surroundings that when Zangief stopped short she promptly ran in to his muscled back, knocking herself a few steps backwards. Audrey tentatively peaked out from behind the mountain of a man as Zangief stepped forwards. They were in a separate part of the central hub, though she could still hear its noise behind her. The walls were dingy and covered in graffiti, ranging from spray painted joysticks to haphazardly written tags. Directly in front of her was a tunnel, which was too dark to see down, with a set of train tracks running in to the darkness. Zangief approached the wall next to the tunnel entrance, where a small brass bell hung from a metal hook. The Russian gave it two quick rings, the sound light and tinkling as it echoed through the terminal. From the dark tunnel there came a clanking sound, growing steadily closer until a small train, like one Audrey had seen at county fairs and the like, emerged from the gloom. Its blue paint was chipped and faded, along with the logos on either end.

Zangief stepped in to one of the tiny cars, filling the space and causing the train to dip and groan and he settled his weight. With a smile and a wave of his hand, he beckoned Audrey to join him in the small train. Audrey gave him a look of reluctance, raising an eyebrow and pursing her lips at him with a hip cocked out to one side, but none the less settled herself in the car behind him. As soon as she had settled, the train jerked forward, causing her to follow the movement straight into Zangief's chest. The man was squeezed in to the car in front of her, his back to the other end of the tunnel with his grinning face towards Audrey. His knees were trapped against his chest, his huge arms resting on them with his chin on one of his hands. He watched with bright blue eyes as Audrey took in the tunnel around them, brows furrowed together.

"Where, exactly, are we," she asked him, eyes still glued to her surroundings as the train slowly but steadily made its way down the tunnel.

"We are in the wiring of the game console. Is how we travel. We take the train or monorail or whatever out of our game, in to Game Central station. The cords for the plugs serve as tunnels, and power strips serve as the different hubs," Zangief answered, his voice bouncing off the walls to echo back at the pair. He watched as Audrey's eyes widened in understanding, smiling at the way her jaw dropped just a bit. "Is impressive, no," he asked with a laugh, reaching out one large hand to gently lift her chin back up.

Audrey's cheeks reddened in the dim light of the tunnel, giving Zangief a small smile. "Sorry," she mumbled, "it's just... I'm a game designer, and I'm always thinking of new characters and different worlds, but to think that they could actually be _real_, that they could live out their own private little lives behind the scenes is, well, _mind blowing_."

"Understandable," Zangief replied, returning her smile with a soft smirk of his own. "No need to apologize, you act like many of the new characters do when they are first plugged in. Is why I did not at first believe your story. Often characters are not programmed with knowledge that they are part of game, and can be very scared or confused when meeting new people."

"I'm still sorry though," Audrey sighed. "I really didn't mean to make that much of a scene, or cause you all this trouble. I thought maybe I was dreaming or something, and I was scared I might be dead. I was supposed to go out to this new club, and I thought something happened and I ended up face down in some ditch somewhere." She gave a bitter laugh, eyes downcast. "Who knows, maybe I did. Maybe this is my private little heaven," her voice lowered even more, "or maybe my private hell."

Whatever Zangief's reply might have been was drowned by the screech of the train's tired wheels rolling to a stop beneath them, the tunnel giving way to the night sky of a new game. In her awed state, Audrey was unprepared for the sudden lurch the train gave as it hit the bumper at the end of the tracks, once again spilling forward into Zangief's chest. The Russian man spared her further embarrassment by choosing to overlook her lack of grace, occupying himself with squeezing out the considerably too small car and offering her a steadying hand instead. Audrey took it gently, rising out of the train with considerably more poise than her counter part, brushing off her skirt absent-mindedly as she took in her new surroundings.

"Where are we now," she asked, her previous gloom dissipating with the new area's soft breeze.

Zangief have a hearty laugh. "Look around," he said, sweeping a large arm out to the world around them. "If you are able to recognize little old Zangief, then surely you will be able to figure it out!"

Audrey gave a hum of thought and followed Zangief's motion with her eyes. The surrounding area, with its artificial night sky and cubed trees, was new to her and yet pulled at the back of her memory with surprising force. It compelled her, seeming to remind her of something she may not actually remember. She scanned the landscape in front of her, eyes narrowing in an attempt to overcome distance and make the details clearer. Zangief watched her head tilt to the left in an almost birdlike gesture, and then tilt back in time with her slow inhale, her shoulders tensing as her hand raised to her mouth.

"No way," breathed Audrey. "_No way!_"

"I believe we have winner," chuckled Zangief under his breath.

"This is – I mean, we're in _Fix It Felix, Jr._," cried the red-head, spinning around to face her companion. Her eyes were wide and her lips were pulled into a large grin, revealing the deep dimples on either side. "You don't understand, this is like, my favorite game of _all time!_ I used to go to the arcade when I was a kid and play it for hours until my dad would come pick me up after work. I must've spent almost a thousand dollars on it!"

"Then this is good thing, yes," laughed Zangief, clasping her shoulder in his large hand and steering her towards the nearby apartment building. "This means you will be willing to work with game members."

"Wait, you said we were coming here to find me a way back home, right," questioned Audrey, peering up at the taller man from the corner of her eyes. "That must mean you think Fix-It Felix can help me."

Zangief gave a little half smile and glanced back down at her. "Not fit it man, think, well, bigger."

Audrey stopped short without Zangief noticing, slipping out from under his arm easily. "Wait," she said. "You mean _Ralph?_"

Zangief's confident walk stuttered to a halt. He turned back to face Audrey, his face clouded over with confusion. "This is no problem, yes," he questioned, crossing his giant arms over his bare chest.

The girl gaped for a moment, before shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. "No," she stuttered out. "I mean, it's fine, really. It's just, why would Ralph want to help me?"

The light in the Russian man's eyes dimmed a bit. "You think that just because Ralph is bad guy, that means he does not want to help?"

"No, of course not," blurted Audrey, raising her hands in a gesture of peace. "Look, I don't know how it is here, but judging by the way you keep bringing up the words 'bad guy', I'm assuming it isn't the same as it is back home." Audrey took in Zangief's unreadable expression and cleared the lump in her throat before continuing. "I mean, where I come from, the villains are always the best part of anything, whether it's a game or a movie, or even just a book. In fact, most of the time the bad guy ends up being the fan favorite. I've shed more tears over a villain's tragic back-story than I have over some damsel in distress singing out her problems."

Zangief gave a bitter laugh. "If only it were like that here, my friend. Bad guys here are feared by all, no matter what they do."  
Audrey's lips twisted into a frown, her eyes downcast. "That's," she mumbled. "That's horrible."  
Zangief gave a solemn nod before laying an arm across the girl's shoulder. "Then you understand that not all characters fall into their roles. Ralph may be bad guy, but he has the heart of a hero." He smiled down at her, his soft eyes crinkling around the edges. "But enough of sad talk, no? This will not solve our problem; we must talk to Ralph before the arcade opens again. If anyone can help, it is him."


	5. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hello all! Happy holidays! This week's update comes a little late, due to spending Christmas with the family and errors with the servers, but hopefully it'll be worth the wait. As promised, this one's pretty long at around 5,500 words, and we finally get to meet Ralph and Felix! Also, you may have noticed that we finally have cover art, created by yours truly. If for some crazy reason you want to see it closer up, just drop me a message and I'll send you a link to it on deviantArt. Anyways, hope you all have/had a wonderful Christmas, and Happy New Year! Enjoy!

* * *

Zangief entered the lobby of Niceland Apartments with Audrey in tow, nodding in greeting to the few characters that were hanging around. One of them gave a nervous little wave back, while the others pretended not to see the villain enter the building. Audrey watched their reactions to her companion, as well as the way their eyes widened at the sight of her. A minute ago, she would have attributed their stares to her unannounced presence as an unknown character, but after her talk with Zangief she felt they might be more of a reaction to an unknown character showing up alongside a _bad guy_. Zangief, however, paid them no heed. He simply walked right up to the elevators along the back wall and mashed the small button with one gigantic finger. The doors creaked open with a small 'ding', seeming to move impossible slow. When they finally managed to wrench themselves apart, Zangief held his hand out to stop them from closing as Audrey entered, trailing in behind her and selecting a seemingly random floor.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to those looks," mumbled Audrey as the floors slowly ticked by.

"Do no worry about it," replied Zangief with a small shake of his head. "They are simply not used to visitors."

Audrey gave a small hum of understanding, green eyes glued to her shoes as the scuffed along the elevator floor.

"Something else is bothering you, yes," inquired the tall man. The elevator was built for Nicelanders, and in the cramped space his arm was constantly brushing the girl's shoulder. Audrey gave a small flinch at his question, her cheeks turning pink beneath her freckles.

"It's nothing really," she said with a soft laugh. "It's just, this is kinda like meeting a movie star or something. I mean, _Fix-It Felix, Jr._ only came out a couple years before I was born, so it was still in the arcades by the time my dad starting letting me go. It was the first game I ever played in my life." Audrey smiled at her reflection in the elevator's polished metal wall. "It's what got me into game design, really. I saw how happy Ralph and Felix made the kids, and I just kinda thought 'well I can do that', and I just never stopped after." Audrey trailed off into an embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry, that must be weird to say."

The tall Russian gave a chuckle of his own, shooting a half smile at Audrey's reflection. "There is no need to be nervous," he told her, meeting her gazed in the warped metal. "I am sure Ralph will love meeting you."

The elevator ground to a halt, cutting off whatever Audrey might have said with another sad chime and the screeching of the doors. The pair exited the tiny metal box and entered a narrow a modernly decorated hallway. Audrey took in the carved white wood of the door across the hall, looking back at the large man expectantly. "This isn't the penthouse," she said dumbly.

"Of course not," replied Zangief. "Did you think it would be?"

"I don't know," laughed Audrey. "I just always assumed the main character would live n the penthouse. I guess it makes sense though, Felix has always seemed like a humble guy, so I guess the top floor would be a bit too lavish for him."  
Zangief smiled at her, crossing his arms over his large chest. "Well, if you already know so much a bout Fix It, then why not finally meet him?" Audrey looked at him blankly, and Zangief gave a good natured shake of his head. "What are you waiting for," he chuckled with a nod towards the door. "You wanted to meet a hero, so go meet a hero."  
Audrey turned back around, steeling her nerves and raising one hand to delicately rap her knuckles on the glass. When nothing happened immediately, she let out the breath she had apparently been holding, her shoulders falling slack. Then, from the other side of the door, came a cheery voice "Just a minute," it called, followed swiftly by faint footsteps and an electric _boing_. Audrey stepped back from the door, the lack of space in the cramped hallway putting Zangief between her and who ever was on the other side. Her hands flew back to her neck to twist in the thin gold chain resting there, peeking out from behind Zangief's large torso.  
After a moment, the door opened slightly to reveal a head of brown hair hidden beneath a blue cap. Bright eyes raised themselves up to the pair standing awkwardly in the hall, a bright smile trailing after it. Audrey felt herself draw a sharp gasp, but could hardly focus on it was those same blue eyes found her, taking in the way she leaned out from behind the mountain of muscle between them.  
"Fix it man," cried Zangief happily, effectively drawing back attention as he pulled the man out in to the hallway for a crushing hug. Audrey stared at the way Zangief held the other man completely off the ground with no effort, small, tan work boots flailing in the air in an attempt to gain purchase.  
"Zangief," laughed the smaller character. "How ya doing, buddy? Long time no see," laughed the smaller man, his voice cutting out a little at the end as thick arms tightened around him. Zangief set the newcomer down gently, patting one of his shoulders with a large hand. With the ground finally restored to its proper place under his feet, the smaller man smiled kindly up at the Russian, rubbing his sides inconspicuously. "What can I do for you this fine evening," he inquired in a voice that was light and genuine.  
"Actually," drawled Zangief, running the thick fingers of one hand through his beard. "Zangief was wondering if Ralph is at home, we have urgent matter to solve."  
The smaller man's expression fell, his brow furrowing slightly. "Well," he replied, removing his cap with one gloved hand. "Ralph isn't here at the moment, I'm afraid. Off on his nightly visit over to Sugar Rush."  
If the situation had been any different, Audrey may have wondered why a character like Wreck-It Ralph would have any reason to be in such a sweet little racing game like Sugar Rush. At the moment, however, she found it hard to focus on anything other than the small man in front of her. Fix-It Felix, Jr. was standing no less than five feet away from her and her frazzled mind raced to comprehend. That tiny, pixilated figure that had starred in so many childhood wonderings was now flesh and blood and real and _standing right in front if her._

As the gravity of her situation seemed to finally rain down on Audrey, that same cheery voice burst through the shock like a ray of sunshine. "I do beg your pardon, ma'am," said Felix, leaning to the side to try and see her around the barrier that was Zangief. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

Zangief stepped aside, pushing Audrey forward with a gentle hand on her back. Audrey glanced back helplessly at him, feeling lost and finding little solstice in the encouraging nod she received. If Felix noticed the panicked note in Audrey's eyes, he gave no outward acknowledgement. Instead, he removed his signature blue cap and gave a little bow, looking up at her with bright blue orbs. "The name's Fix-It Felix, Jr., ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Audrey remained blank faced, her eyes wide and her lips parted in shock. Inside her busy mind, she was aware of the silence that stretched on over the roar of her blood pumping in her ears. With a shuddering inhale, she steeled her nerves. "I'm Audrey," she stuttered out. "Audrey Wilson. The, uh, the pleasure's all mine."

Felix replaced his cap and gave Zangief a questioning glance over the girl's shoulder. "Well," he replied. "I must say I don't remember ever seeing you around before Miss Wilson. What brings you here, if you don't mind my asking?"

The helpless feeling overcame Audrey again, her gaze retreating back to Zangief's from. The Russian proved to be more helpful this time, stepping back towards the duo just as the elevator gave a _ding_ and started to open behind them. "Is best if we move conversation inside, no," Zangief supplied, nodding towards the apartment door that had been left standing open.

"Oh," cried Felix, giving a little jumped. "Yes, of course. Come inside, please! I'm sure whatever you two need, it would be better to discuss it someplace a bit more comfortable."

Felix stepped away from the door, ushering them in with a wave of his arm. Audrey hesitantly stepped over the threshold, Zangief squeezing in behind her as she took in the space laid out before her. Felix hopped over to a set of couches and chairs set up off to the side of the front room, offering his guests a place to sit with a smile. Zangief gently led the still stunned Audrey gently over to the couch with a hand on her elbow, settling in gently so as to not jostle the furniture too much with his size. Felix bounced into a plush look armchair opposite them with another _boing_, his hand clasped in his lap, looking expectantly at Zangief's furrowed expression and Audrey's blank face.

Audrey watched as Felix stared over at her and Zangief, her brain not quite processing that this was the part where she explained her situation. Instead, her mind was still set a few paces back, replaying the moment where she was _introduced to_ _Fix-It Felix in the flesh. _She could scarcely believe it had happened at all. Meeting Zangief has been one thing, but this one of the most beloved characters of her childhood and she was _sitting in his apartment._ She quickly scanned the apartment around her. It was different than she had imagined it all these years, especially the fact that it was not, indeed, the building's penthouse suite, but at the same time it seem to fit the protagonist just right. It was modestly furnished, a blend of modern and older styles, and yet still welcoming. She was vaguely aware of Zangief and Felix's voices drifting through space in conversation, but her mind too busy attempting to catch up with the events of the last couple minutes to give them her attention.

"You agree, yes, Audrey," inquired Zangief, nudging her leg with his large thigh and abruptly pulling her out of her head. Audrey jumped in her seat, blinking back into reality. Zangief was giving her a meaningful glance out if the corner of his eyes, Felix matching its intensity with a curious stare of his own.  
"Sorry," mumbled Audrey, her eyes downcast. "My head was in a different place. What were you saying?"  
Felix nodded sympathetically. "Zangief was just saying that it might be best for _you _to say what happened, so that he doesn't mix anything up."  
Audrey gave a slow nod of understanding, her hands twisting together with nervous energy. "Okay, well, before I start there's something you should know," she told him, her voice soft and unsteady. She shakily met Felix's gaze, forcing herself to refrain from looking away. "I'm not a game character."  
Felix gave her a suspicious look, flitting his eyes over to Zangief. Audrey recognized the question in his eyes, remembering the way Zangief had reacted early. "It's not what you think," she stuttered out, hoping to cut off the hero's line of thought. "I'm not one of those characters whose programmer didn't bother to write the fact that they're in a game into their code. I'm not from here, I'm not from a _game_, I'm," Audrey cut herself off with a frustrated huff, her brain straining to find a way to explain her situation. "I know it sounds crazy," she restarted. "It's crazy to me too, but I work at Mr. Litwak's arcade, I have for over a year. I'm a _real person_."

When Audrey looked back to Felix, she instantly regretted opening her mouth in the first place. The sympathy she saw there was no longer for whatever problem she needed help with, but instead had been replaced with sympathy for her delusions. It was obvious that Felix did not believe her story. Audrey cast a helpless glance over to Zangief, her round eyes begging him to help the hero understand. The Russian man placed a hand on her knee, dwarfing her leg beneath its size. Audrey met his eyes, green pools gazing into a matching pair of blue, and was startled by what she saw there. The Russian man's eyes were filled with genuine sadness, his thick brows pulled almost permanently down into an expression of worry. That kind of care, coming not only from a complete stranger but from somebody she had always been told was a _bad guy_, shocked her to the core. With just that small connection, Audrey felt something inside of her snap, and all of the fear and frustration and _hopelessness_ that had been welling up inside her since the moment she woke up seemed to reach a critical level, boiling over in her hectic mind.

Zangief watched as Audrey's helpless expression morphed into something else, something determined and incredibly frustrated. "I understand if you think I'm lying," she snapped, focusing in on her hands as they continued writhing in her lap, "but the fact of the matter is that I'm stuck here when I should be out _there_." Audrey jerked her head towards the far wall of the room, the one with windows looking out onto the distant game screen and the dark arcade behind it. "I was supposed to be going out tonight, Mr. Litwak asked me to close up for him because he had to leave early. It was pouring so I decided to wait in the back room until the rain let up, but then I saw this plug sparking and some _stupid_ part of me decided to go and grab for it. Next thing I know I'm waking up in the middle of nowhere surrounded by characters from games I've played my entire life. I don't know how it happened or why I'm here or how I'm supposed to get out if here but _I have to get home!_" Audrey gave a frustrated growl, burying her hands in her hair, her voice turning desperate. "Tomorrow's Saturday, it's gonna be so busy and I don't know if Mr. Litwak can handle all those kids by himself! If I don't show up tomorrow he'll be so worried, and then after that comes Sunday, and we're closed on Sunday so he _still_ won't know where I am, and if Monday comes around and I'm still stuck here, who knows what he'll do!" Audrey finished with a whimper, curling in on herself, as if she could protect herself from her troubles that easily. Her thin form shook as she sucked in deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down, letting them out in explosive exhales.

Whatever doubts Felix might have held against the girl's story, they dissipated in the wake of her speech. His heart shattered as Audrey broke down, his own eyes starting to mist over at the sight of someone so genuinely helpless. Steeling his expression, he reached one gloved hand over to her, placing it on the knee not currently occupied by Zangief's hand.

Audrey slowly raised her eyes to meet his glassy blue ones. "Please," she whispered. "I just want to get back home."  
Felix gave her a nod, a small smile spearing across his face. Stranger things had happened in the little arcade he called home, after all. "Now what kinda hero would I be if I didn't help a damsel find her way home?"

Audrey felt her lips pull up into a smile with no direction of her own, a quick, almost hysterical laugh bubbling up from the pit of her stomach. Felix gave a laugh of his own; his cheeks flushing back to their signature rosy pink. Zangief smiled at the pair, removing his hand from Audrey's leg and replacing it with a clap to her shoulder good-naturedly. As the trio calmed down, the tension dissipating from the room, Felix excused himself from the seating area in favor of gathering them all something to drink. Audrey watched the tiny hero clamor around in the small kitchen attached to the living room, grabbing root beers for himself and Zangief and a glass of water for Audrey and gave a soft chuckle.

"What," Zangief asked lowly, giving her a sidelong glance.

"I'm sitting in Fix-It Felix's apartment," she replied, stifling another round of laughter that threatened to bubble over the surface of her calm demeanor. "I'm sitting in the apartment of one on my childhood heroes, watching him get me a glass of water while sitting next to a _Street Fighter_ character, and I've somehow managed not to spontaneously combust into a small pile of excitement and nerves."

Zangief made a strained sound, repressing his own laughter as his lips twitched slightly. "Give it time," he replied. "Will probably happen when you least expect it."

The comment just made Audrey want to laugh that much harder, resulting in her having to awkwardly cover up her giggling with a an incredibly fake cough.

"You know," Felix mused as he hopped back into his chair, unaware of the previous conversation between his guests, "you do look awfully familiar."

Audrey took her glass gratefully, wrapping her fingers around its blessedly cool surface. "It might be easier if you imagined a referee's shirt and a bright orange vest instead of this," she answered, nodding down towards her outfit. "After all, I do play your game almost everyday." She looked off to the side, her freckled cheeks flushing pink. "I've actually held the high score for the past four months."

"Jiminy jamany," cried Felix, "now that you mention it, I can't believe I didn't recognize you!"

Zangief laughed, raising his root beer to his lips. "I had same thought," he grumbled. "Is hard to recognize her so close up, no?"

"You said it, buddy," laughed Felix, tilting his hat at the large man.

The conversation would have continued from there, if not for the distant _ding ding_ of the Fix-It Train sounding in the distance. Felix was up in a flash, darting over to one of the windows facing the station. "That'll be Ralph," he threw back over his shoulder, wrenching the window open before sticking his head out into the night air. "_Ralph!_ Over here brother," he yelled, flailing one of his arms at his unseen counterpart. "Do ya think you could come up real quick? We've got some, ah, _urgent business_ that we could sure use your help with!" Felix waited patiently, listening to the muffled reply before calling out a quick, "Great, see ya in a jiff!" and closing the window. "Shouldn't be long now," he said, closing the window and turning back to face the pair.

The trio sat in silence as they waited for the arrival of their fourth party, Audrey staring mindlessly into her glass. Meeting Felix had been one thing but _Ralph? _She felt her cheeks flush. Although she had told Zangief the truth about _Fix-It Felix, Jr. _inspiring her love of game design, it had not been the whole truth. If she were truly honest, her real inspiration had been the hot-headed villain. Something about the 8-bit character on the screen had captured her. She studied him throughout the game, turning what she saw into thoughts, and those thoughts then into quick drawings, with led eventually to full fledged sketches. Book after book was methodically filled with countless character renderings, both her own creation and the creation of others, with _Fix-It Felix, Jr._ soaring above the rest in both quantity and quality. Games came and went; one fad bleeding into the next until it all became one big blur in the recesses of her mind, but in its center remained a constant adoration for both Ralph and Felix.

At that moment there came a harsh knock on the door, the frosted glass rattling against the hinges. Interrupted from her musings, Audrey stood as Felix made his way over to the door, smoothing her skirt of wrinkles with delicate hands. She glanced up as the door opened, her eyes landing on the hulking male figure out in the hall. He and Felix exchanged a greeting, before the hero moved aside to allowing the larger man to squeeze his way through the too small doorway, stumbling awkwardly into the apartment. In the brighter light of the interior, Audrey was able to take in the man's features. Large bare feet shuffled against the wood floors, attached to legs as thick as tree trunks. Above that was a large, barrel chest clad in plaid and denim. Huge arms hung at his sides with hands almost as big as Felix himself hanging lower. Disheveled rust colored hair framed his round face, his bottom lip clasped between teeth to reveal an adorable gap on the front, and his warm brown eyes downcast and shy. Audrey watched those eyes flick upwards, roaming around the room before they locked with hers. Felix was talking somewhere off to the side, but he sounded almost underwater to her. Those shining eyes widened, teeth letting go of their nervous grip on his lip as his mouth slowly fell into a small _'o'._ Audrey felt her face redden, the slow heat crawling its way down her neck in time to the man's answering flush. _It's him_, her mind whispered. _It's really him._

Audrey was certain she would have continued to stare for the rest of the evening if Felix had not, although unknowingly, intervened. The newcomer to the room blinked rapidly, clearing his head before focusing in on the tiny handyman. "Anyways," Felix chirped, "Ralph, this here is Miss Audrey. Ma'am, I'd like to introduce my partner, Wr-"

"Wreck-It Ralph," Audrey supplied, cutting him off. Her hands fluttered nervously around her skirt for a moment before she mustered up the courage to step forwards and offer her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

When Ralph entered his protagonist's apartment, the last thing he expected to see was Zangief sitting on Felix's couch. His mind kicked into overdrive for a moment, throwing out option after option as to what Felix needed his help with. Was something wrong with _Street Fighter_? Why would Zangief come here if there was? Ralph's eyes darted around the room, looking for any signs of danger or anything out of place. What his eyes landed on, however, may have been out of place but was certainly _not_ a problem.

In all his years at the arcade, Ralph had never seen anyone quite like the girl standing quietly near Zangief. Her fiery hair was pulled into a messy braid over one of her shoulders, a stark contrast to the dark blue of her shirt. Dainty feet shuffled along the floor as she shifted her weight, attached to long, pale legs that traveled up under her mint green skirt, delicate hands nervously brushing out wrinkles that simply did not exist. Her face held a light flush, making the light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks pop against the soft pink. Long eyelashes framed large eyes that took Ralph's breath away the moment they met his. Her eyes were the deep color of emeralds, shining in the bright interior lighting of the apartment. Ralph's heart stuttered in his chest as she stared at him, his own mouth going slack as he returned her gaze dumbly.

The small eternity of silence between the two was broken by Felix's bright voice as he introduced the girl as Audrey, Ralph's frazzled conscious repeating the name in his head like a broken record. He tuned back in to the conversation in time to here her supply his name for Felix, cutting off the small hero as she offered her hand in greeting. "Wreck-It Ralph," she said with a shy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ralph blinked rapidly, clearing his foggy head. "Um," he fumbled, carefully closing his hand around hers and marveling at how it disappeared completely beneath the sheer size of his, "same to you."  
He regretted the words instantly. Here he was, faced with a new character who obviously needed his help, if Felix's earlier shouting was any indication, and the best he could do was _same here?__  
_

Just as Ralph's emotional raincloud was about to start pouring down, Audrey's voice cut through it like a calm breeze. "Mr. Ralph, sir," she called uncertainty, stuttering over his name, unsure of what exactly to address him as. "I know it's kinda on short notice but, I really need to get home and Zangief..." Cue nervous glance over to the Russian, who gave a nod of encouragement. "Um, Zangief said you'd be the best person to ask."

The character in question removed himself from the couch to stand by Ralph's side, clasping his shoulder in his customary greeting. "Is true, friend," Zangief told him. "We are in need of way to get Miss Audrey home before arcade opens. Zangief can think of no better person to help than you."

Ralph watched him from the corner of his eyes. "What do you mean get her home? What game does she belong too?"

Audrey coughed lightly, drawing back Ralph's attention. "That's the problem; I'm not from a game."

Audrey sighed as Ralph gave her that same look, the one that screamed 'you poor character, so innocent and unknowing', and sat back down on the couch with a huff. Felix and Zangief followed, with Ralph trailing behind in a haze of confusion. "Let me start again," she said as he took a seat across from her.

With what was slowly becoming a practiced ease, Audrey explained her story again. She told Ralph about her time at the arcade, about her love for games and design. She told him about the club and the rain and the lightening. She told him about waking up in Game Central Station, confused and scared, and about Zangief leading her here. She told him about how worried she was and how worried Mr. Litwak would be if she remained stuck behind the screen of some arcade game. She told him everything, and when she had finished Ralph's expressive eyes were filled with determination.

"Then let's get you home," decided Ralph, rising from the couch.

The three other members of the room stared at him. "You mean you know a way out," questioned Audrey in disbelief.

"Not exactly, but I think I know where to start. We have to get over to _Sugar Rush_ ASAP," he told her, starting towards the door.

"Do you think Vanellope could help us," asked Felix.

"I'm not sure, but she was the only other person I can think of right now," replied Ralph.

"Um, Zangief is not trying to be rude," interjected the Russian, "but how is Tiny Candy Girl going to help with problem?"

"Look," said Ralph with a frustrated huff, "if _she's_ here–" he thrust one large finger in Audrey's direction "– then that means she's gotta be made up of code, right? I mean, how else would she be able to survive?"

Zangief and Felix exchanged concerned glances, but nodded in agreement anyways.

"Right, so, who else in the arcade knows code better than Vanellope?"

"Sorry," cut in Audrey. "But considering you were just talking about _Sugar Rush_, I'm assuming this 'Vanellope' girl is Vanellope Von Schweetz, right?"

Ralph whipped his gaze back at Audrey, his thick eyebrows rising in surprise. "Yeah, that's right."

"Well, why would she know anything about _my_ code? I didn't wake up in _Sugar Rush_, I woke up in that Central Station place, under some random bench."

Audrey watched Ralph's shoulders slump, the wind taken from his sails with just her one comment.

"She does have a point, Ralph," supplied Zangief, nodding sadly. "Her code would have no reason to be in Candy Game."

The room seemed to darken a little at that, like clouds had come rolling in preparation to rain on their parade. Felix took in the dejected faces around him, from Ralph's sullen eyes to Audrey's downcast gaze. They had been so close, but Audrey did have a valid point. Even though Vanellope was excellent with coding, it would do them very little good with out access to Audrey's code box. Game Central Station had no characters of its own, so there would be no reason for it to have a large code chamber like his own game did. The only thing it had was benches, a couple kiosks, and the...

"Surge Protectors," cried Felix suddenly, jumping in to the air with excitement and startling the other members of the room. His large blue eyes scanned over the others as he gave a startled laugh. "How could we be so blind? Of course Audrey's code wouldn't be with the _Sugar Rush_ racers', but it would be with the Surge Protectors'!"

Realization dawned on Ralph, his brown eyes widening in understanding. "Yeah...yeah you're right Felix," he agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "Looks like those little blue eggheads aren't completely useless after all. Hopefully they'll let Vanellope take a peek at their coding so that we can figure out how to get Audrey outta here."

Felix nodded in an agreement, rushing cheerfully over to the door. "Then we'd better get going! The sooner we get over to _Sugar Rush_, the sooner we can solve this whole mess out."

Ralph nodded in agreement, following Felix out into the hall, leaving Audrey and Zangief behind in the apartment. Audrey's head felt like it was spinning. One second hope had seemed a distant thing, and the next Felix and Ralph were yelling about surge whatevers and practically tripping over themselves to get out the door. She looked over to Zangief, feeling lost yet again. The large man gave her a soft smile and headed towards the hall himself. The four of them squeezed into the small elevator, which gave a sad groan as it descended. Audrey took the time to marvel at the situation. Ralph and Felix were talking quickly to each other, the smaller man gesturing animatedly the entire ride. Zangief stayed silent, his eyes giving away his amusement at the duo along side his small grin. The elevator stopped with a sad chime, depositing them in the lobby as the doors pried themselves open. After Ralph and Zangief managed to maneuver themselves out, with only minor damage to the doors, they started off towards the small train out of _Fix It Felix, Jr._

They rode in silence, the air buzzing with tense energy. Audrey sat in the front car with Felix. Ralph and Zangief rode in the other two compartments, their knees pressed comically to their chests within the confining spaces. Once they'd arrived back at Game Central Station, Ralph and Felix started off towards _Sugar Rush_ with practiced ease, leaving Zangief and Audrey to trail behind at a slower pace.

"They seem to have situation under control, no," Zangief remarked fondly.

Audrey nodded in silent reply, her eyes following the two characters in front of her.

"I am thinking you are in good hands now, Audrey. Is time Zangief returned to own game."

Audrey stopped dead in her tracks. "You mean you're leaving?"

Zangief nodded.

"But what if I get lost or something? What if Vanellope can't help us? What if– " She stopped herself abruptly, her hands tugging on her skirt and her mind echoing her last thought. _What if it doesn't work? What is I'm stuck here?_

Zangief placed his hands on Audrey shoulders, smiling down at her fondly. "Do not worry," he told her, moving one hand to ruffle her fiery hair slightly. "Ralph knows what he is doing, he'll get you home."

Audrey gave a small nod, looking back up at him. "Thank you, Zangief. For everything." She pulled away from him with a sad smile and a small wave before turning back towards the now almost distant figures of Ralph and Felix, beginning to trail after them. She had not made it very far when a rough voice called out to her.

"Make sure to visit _Street Fighter_ when you are back," it called. "Zangief will be waiting to help you beat opponents!"

Audrey turned back around with a laugh, waving at Zangief and calling back fondly. "Don't worry I will! You'll crush they're heads like a sparrow's egg between thighs, right?"

Zangief's loud laugh echoed after her as she sped up to meet Ralph and Felix outside _Sugar Rush_.

"Zangief' not joining us," asked Felix.

Audrey shook her head in reply, gazing towards the game portal.

"Alright, enough dilly dallying," interjected Ralph as he stepped over the threshold, Audrey and Felix following after. "Let's get you home."


End file.
